The fairytale ending wasn’t meant to be. Oklahoma City native Alex Saucedo fell short in his first world title challenge, as Maurice Hooker defended his WBO junior welterweight title against Saucedo via 7th-round TKO In front of 4,102 fans at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

In the co-main event, a tactical and un-fan-friendly affair, Maris Briedis, (24-1), defeated Noel Mikaelian (23-2), by lopsided scores of 116-110, 115- 111, and 114-112 which did not reflect what occurred in the ring.

On Saturday, November 10, at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion, two quarter final fights will take place as part of season two of the World Boxing Super Series Cruiserweight Tournament. Krzysztof Glowacki (30-1, 19 KO), from Walcz, Poland, will face Maksim Vlasov (42-2, 25 KO) of Samara, Russia, in a 12-round battle for the Interim WBO World Championship. Additionally, Mairis Briedis (24-1, 18 KO) from Riga, Latvia, will take on Hamburg, Germany’s Noel Mikaelian (23-1, 10 KO) for the WBC World Diamond Belt Championship.

2018 has been a year that has brought many significant changes to the sport of boxing. One of which was something that most boxing fans would have bet money that it would never take place. Earlier this month it was announced that former eight-division world champion and current WBA “regular” welterweight (147) champion Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) would join Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) as he signed a deal with mysterious boxing adviser Al Haymon.

This weekend at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska fans will witness the return of one of the top two fighters in the world, Terence “Bud” Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs). Crawford will be making the first title defense of his WBO welterweight championship against Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-0, 18 KOs).

The potential lightweight clash between ‘Hi-Tech’ Vasyl Lomachenko (11 – 1 – 0, 9 KO) and Mikey Garcia (39 – 0 – 0, 30 KO) increasingly ignites the imagination of fight fans across the world. The prospect of the encounter poses the ultimate chance to determine the best lightweight in the world; the best facing the best and what all boxing supporters want to see.

This upcoming Saturday, September 15th at the T-Mobile Arena in the boxing capital of Las Vegas, Nevada, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin will face Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in one of the most anticipated rematches in recent history.

This weekend among the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada the most significant boxing match of the year will take place. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will step in the ring with Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin for middleweight (160) supremacy.

This upcoming weekend, Ray Beltran (35-7-1, 21 KOs) will make the first defense of his newly acquired WBO lightweight (135) championship against former 130-pound titleholder, Jose Pedraza (24-1, 12 KOs). The match will be the next chapter in one of boxing’s most celebrated rivalries between Mexico and Puerto Rico.

A few weeks ago former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) made his return to the squared circle when he faced Argentinian power puncher Lucas Matthysse (39-5, 36 KOs) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It seems at this point that Pacquiao will continue his career rather than choose to hang up the gloves and retire finally. While Pacquiao doesn’t generate the same interest in the sport that he did in his prime after his performance against Matthysse many fans and pundits are wondering whom the Filipino will step in the ring against next.

The finger pointing is endless as to who is to blame for the heavyweight unification bout between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder not being made in 2018. It would be easy to criticize Joshua for ducking Wilder, but, we must not forget that prizefighting is a business, and in business, not all parties have equal bargaining power.

This weekend former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao will make his return to the ring. The Filipino Senator will step inside the ring with WBA welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse in Malaysia in a fight that will be televised on the ESPN+ app.